<p><LINK href="notes.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <SPAN class="big"> Make Your Reading A Performance -- FogCon 2012</span> <span class="dateline">04.01.2012 10.30h</span></p>
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Readings
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Performance
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<li class="tags">
Writing
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<li class="tags">
Acting
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<li class="tags">
Voice Acting
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<li class="tags">
Voice
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<DIV class="intro">
Tips for writers on how to give a successful reading. Participatory! Read nursey rhymes as eulogies, candidate speeches, weather reports, etc. -- work on eye contact, voice modulation and inflection, etc. without worrying about also reading unfamiliar text. Have fun with it!
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<DIV class="panelists">
<ul>
<li>Mickey Phoenix (Mod)</li>
<li>Madeline Robins</li>
<li><a href="https://plus.google.com/116598793894933554709/posts">Juliette Wade</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.annwilkes.com/">Anne Wilkes</a>
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<h3 id="bibliography">Bibliography</h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goliath-Leviathan-Scott-Westerfeld/dp/1442343842">Westerfield, Scott (writer), Cumming, Alan (reader). Goliath</a> is a good example of audiobook reading
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<h3 id="notes">Notes</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Prepare your manuscript for reading (notes to self, big fonts, etc). Make a &quot;reading copy&quot;. Remove material that does not make sense out of context of the story.</li>
<li>The selection should be engaging and representative of the whole work.</li>
<li>Keep eye contact, to establish rapport with the audience, try to make them a part of the process.</li>
<li>Highlight/underline words you might stumble on.</li>
<li>Add pronunciation of unfamiliar words</li>
<li>Reader must be loud enough to be heard from the back row, but not deafen the front row.</li>
<li>Find the correct speed.</li>
<li>Don't make the voices <em>too</em> distince, especially with many characters.</li>
<li>Make notes on who is talking in dialog</li>
<li>edit on the spot if you need to</li>
<li>Change your vocal approach if you need to, to engage the audience</li>
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<p>There is a difference between author readings and stage readings with performers.</p>
<p>You might find laughter spots you didn't expect.</p>
<p>Look into general prosadic setting -- the 'feel' of a character</p>
<p>The content does not stand on its own, as it does on a page. You don't have to do everything, just a little</p>
<p>Genre readers vs. mainstream readers have different outlook.</p>
<p>&quot;Fully occupy&quot; the words you are reading.</p>
<p>The reader must find the psychological space of the story.</p>
<p>Out-loud reading can inform subsequent writing or revision.</p>
<p>If a performer can't tell who is speaking in dialog, audience likely can't either, and it might indicate a problem.</p>
<p>If you are reading something where member(s) of the audience have specialized knowledge, you can't just &quot;read at&quot; the those memebers of the audience with that specialized knowledge. Keep all members of the audience engaged.</p>
<p>Reading aloud can help make the character voice distinct to the writer.</p>
<p>Meter and rhythm also can distinguish character voies. Actual story text can written with that in mind, and showing in the text.</p>
<p>Set it up when reading a selection, especially when it is not the begining of the work (e.g, a summary to the audience to 'set the scene').</p>
<p>A subsection that has its down begining, middle and end can be a good choice for a reading.</p>
<p>Without background, one can't relate to an argument.</p>
<p>Be dramatic, read clearly, and don't give away too much -- leave the audience wanting more.</p>
<p>Readings need just as much work as the story itself.</p>
<p>Attending a reading can shade perception of the author's other works.</p>
<p>Humorous stories can make it easiter to connect with the audience.</p>
<p>Take something you know and present the text in a novel way.</p>
<p>Keep in mind your body language. Stand for the reading, which reminds you you are a performer.</p>
<p>Separate out the next page.</p>
<p>Have a glass of water available.</p>
<p>Have a minimal use of hands if you have a podium, but an occasional gesture can help. Keep body language nondistracting from performance.</p>
<p>The line is now blurred between acting and reading</p>
Also see <a href="http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com/category/reading-aloud/">Mary Robinette Kowal's &quot;Reading Aloud&quot; series of articles</a>
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